They went into the store, in Chesterfield Road South, on the morning of 19th July last year, where they threatened staff with knives and demanded cash from the company safe.

They grabbed a member of staff as he turned up for work and forced him to the fire exit, using him to get inside the building.

They proceeded to wave knives around and make threats to the staff, one of who was pushed to the floor.

Some of the workers were made turn out their pockets and hand over mobile phones and car keys.

Hunter, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbery in November and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Paine, of Nottingham Road, Mansfield, was found guilty of robbery following a trial and was jailed for nine years.

Blackborow, of Thoresby Street, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to robbery earlier this month and was sentenced today to seven and a half years.

He was also handed a two-and-a-half year sentence to run consecutively for a ram raid a Wilkinson store in Clumber Street, Mansfield, on 16th July last year.

An attempt was made to steal an ATM machine but it fell from the getaway vehicle and was recovered.

DC Stephen Dunn from Ashfield South CID said: “This was a desperate act to rob a safe and in doing so they caused immeasurable stress and anxiety to the four staff members who were present, which remains with them to this day. The sentence imposed takes account of that suffering and hopefully brings some comfort and closure to the victims.”